AMC MCQ - Australian Medical Council Multiple Choice Questions Ethics and Professional Practice Questions and Answers

Question 1

An 82-year-old man with metastatic lung cancer and a valid Advance Care Directive (ACD) is admitted with sepsis from a urinary tract infection.
The ACD clearly states he refuses all life-sustaining treatments, including intravenous antibiotics and admission to an intensive care unit.
The patient is now delirious and lacks decision-making capacity.
His family is adamant that he should receive antibiotics, stating, "He wouldn't want to die from a simple infection." What is the most appropriate and legally defensible course of action for the treating doctor?

Accepted Answer

Uphold the patient's refusal of treatment as stated in the valid ACD.

Answer

Follow the family's wishes and commence intravenous antibiotics.

Answer

Seek an urgent ethics committee review before making a decision.

Answer

Provide palliative care but administer antibiotics for comfort.

Question 2

A junior doctor notices that a senior surgical consultant frequently appears to have tremors and slurred speech during morning rounds, particularly on Mondays. The junior doctor smells alcohol on the consultant's breath on one occasion. When privately asked, the consultant dismisses it as fatigue. According to the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law, what is the junior doctor's primary professional obligation?

Accepted Answer

Make a mandatory report to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) about potential notifiable conduct.

Answer

Discuss the concerns with other junior doctors to see if they have noticed similar behaviour.

Answer

Advise the consultant to self-report to the Medical Board of Australia.

Answer

Directly report the concerns to the hospital's Director of Medical Services.

Question 3

A 75-year-old patient with early-stage dementia requires an elective cholecystectomy. While she understands she has gallstones, she has difficulty retaining information about the risks and benefits of the surgery for more than a few minutes. Her son, who is her appointed enduring power of attorney for medical decisions, provides consent. Which of the following principles is most critical for the surgeon to have addressed BEFORE proceeding with the son's consent?

Accepted Answer

That the patient has been formally assessed as lacking capacity for this specific decision.

Answer

That the son has a good relationship with his mother.

Answer

That a second surgical opinion has been obtained.

Answer

That all non-surgical options have been trialled and failed.

Question 4

During a surgical procedure, a swab is inadvertently left inside a patient's abdomen. The error is discovered on a post-operative X-ray the next day, and the patient requires a second procedure for its removal. The patient makes a full recovery. According to the Australian Open Disclosure Framework, which of the following is an essential and early component of the open disclosure process with the patient?

Accepted Answer

An apology or expression of regret for the harm that occurred.

Answer

A detailed explanation of the root cause analysis findings.

Answer

Providing the patient with the names of all staff involved in the initial surgery.

Answer

Assurance that the hospital's legal team accepts full liability.

Question 5

A GP has been treating a patient for several years. The patient sends the GP a 'friend request' on a personal social media account. The GP's profile contains photos of their family and social activities. According to the Medical Board of Australia's Code of Conduct and guidelines on professional boundaries, what is the most appropriate response?

Accepted Answer

Politely decline the request, explaining the need to maintain a professional doctor-patient relationship.

Answer

Accept the request but change privacy settings to limit what the patient can see.

Answer

Ignore the request and do not mention it at the next consultation.

Answer

Accept the request, as declining could damage the therapeutic relationship.

Question 6

A 15-year-old girl attends a GP appointment alone and requests contraception. She is assessed to be a 'Gillick-competent' minor, meaning she has sufficient understanding and intelligence to comprehend the nature and implications of the proposed treatment. Her parents are unaware of the appointment. Which of the following is the most ethically and legally sound action for the GP?

Accepted Answer

Prescribe the contraception as the patient's confidentiality takes precedence.

Answer

Refuse to prescribe until parental consent is obtained.

Answer

Contact the parents to inform them of their daughter's request.

Answer

Agree to prescribe only if the patient agrees to inform her parents within one month.